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Tuesday, January 6th, 2015

Jerry Brown’s bold climate pledge: California to go 50 percent renewable in just 15 years

Author:     Lindsay Abrams
Source:     Salon
Publication Date:     Monday, Jan 5, 2015 01:02 PM PST
 Link: Jerry Brown’s bold climate pledge: California to go 50 percent renewable in just 15 years
Stephan:   This potentially is a very big deal, and wonderful news. Jerry Brown is probably the most experienced governmental executive officer in the United States. The myth of democracy is that any citizen who can mount a campaign is qualified for the office they seek. Yet, there are all too many examples of elected individuals incompetent or corrupted in their jobs. Brown is an antipode, much more an exemplar of the Founders' cultural vision: A citizen dedicated to ethical competent public service. It takes time to learn how to make democracy work, and Brown has been at it long enough to become good at it, starting with seeing what the real issues are. California is a bellwether. Here is my prediction: If California can convert and still sustain its economy, or better improve it, every Blue value state will follow quickly, with the Red value states tagging along falling further behind. Those political entities that make the transition out of carbon first will have an enormous advantage.
California Gov. Jerry Brown Credit: AP Photo/Ben Margot

California Gov. Jerry Brown
Credit: AP Photo/Ben Margot

California Gov. Jerry Brown’s unprecedented fourth term in office is going to be all about fighting climate change.

In an inaugural address delivered Monday afternoon, the governor celebrated the “bold commitments to sustain our environment, help the neediest and build for our future” made since he first took office 40 years ago, and announced his intentions to push those reforms further, with an emphasis on environmental goals.

Specifically — and in a move that’s already being hailed by environmental groups — Brown pledged to help California derive a full 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. That’s a big step up from the state’s already commendable mandate for utilities to purchase a third of their energy from renewables by 2020, which it’s already on track to meet.

“We must demonstrate that reducing carbon is compatible with an abundant economy and human well-being,” Brown said. And despite being a leader in environmental policies, he added, what California’s been able to […]

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